Comand

[mapleleaf]

CAN-BUS Interface for Comand 2.0

I have found a product that I think (its all in german) allows a can bus comand to be used in a non canbus car. It overcomes the auto swithing off business & allows night/day mode switching with car lights.

Not sure if this has been mention on the forum before. Cost is 139 euros from www.megacom.de item is called a MEGA[Can2]

follow this long link to the product description

https://ssl.kundenserver.de/s257245...+CANBUS+Interface+=2AAKTION=2A+=284460-002=29


It seems to be a perfect plug in device that overcomes the need for reprogramming of the Comand ..

Anyone any experience of this ????

 

[MBenzNL]

Hi Steve,

No there is no grunge at all...I just had too much to do to be much online the last couple of days. As I told you in one of my mails I hardly ever buy a comand unit from Ebay simply because 3 of the 4 comands I did buy on Ebay were malfunctioning (Shude knows)...I rather pay more for a comand unit knowing it functions and I can take it back then gambling with Ebay units.

I said that all 210's have CANBUS and they have. In fact even the W202 has CANBUS ever since the electrionic update in 1995.
The pre modelupdated 210s have CANBUS but NOT to the radio...the radio (and thus comand) in the modelupdated E-classes get the CANBUS directly from the (updated) instrument cluster (the comand CANBUS wires plug into the instrument cluster and so does the multifunctional steering wheel).

The discussed CANBUS converter is available through different german supliers (of which megacom is one of the more expensive ones) and it works without any doubt.

The 163 comand is a non CANBUS, it will function 100% without any problems (after you added a speedpulse to the unit which might not be there yet).
The 163 comand will function in every other non CANBUS (or CANBUS) car as well...

The 2 vertical slots besides the W210 toprow switches are for the heated/VENTILATED seats...it is a 5-LED indicator (2 for heated and 3 for ventilated).

greetingz,

 

[miata]

Originally posted by Maff
It is a special serial lead. The parts cost about £60 and the pin outs can be found on the web.

Suppliers and pin outs are also included with the freediag toolkit.

Matt, could you direct me to a a site with this program? I looked on sourceforge.net, but I can't find the info I need ...
I found something about freediag, but there's a table on the page that says it won't work with CAN ...


Thanks
Frank

(the pandora.be guy )

 

[mapleleaf]

COMAND units arrived at last

Hi all

My two ebay sourced comand units arrived today. a 163 for my ML and a 4889 non can bus unit for my non can bus E class.

The 163 unit seems to work fine as excpected thanks to all for advice here.

With the 4889 unit, I cant find the wires to connect to the smal c connector on comand. I have the ML adaptor but nothing to plug into on the car ie no big spare connector.

Can anyone help. Also, the night view mode doesnt work on the 4889 unit when I switch on thecars lights even though it is set to do so on the comand settings menu.

any help gratefully received as ever

 

[miata]

Steven,

The 4889 doesn't *need* a can bus, it'll work fine, but the night view mode won't. For that to work, you do need a can bus, althought the 4889 is a so-called non can bus unit. The signal for the night/day mode goes over the Can bus.

Let me put it this way, a non can bus unit will work fine in any vehicule (thus also non-mercedes) except for the night/day mode. For that to work, you still need a can bus.
A can bus unit will work in a car without can bus, but you will not be able to switch it on through the ignition (switched power goes over the can bus) AND it will turn off after about 30-40 minutes just because it's missing the ignition signal.
IOW, not advisable to use a can bus comand in a non can bus car.

Confusing enough?

The only non can comand with a functional night/day mode is that of the ML, thus the A163 xxx. On these units, the signal from the headlights doesn't go over the can bus but it goes over the normal power connectors.

On a sidenote, I have a 4889 in the miata and after applying the update, the night illumination magically started working. It didn't work before (like it's supposed to be).
I have no idea how and why, 'cause it isn't supposed to do that! I'm not complaining though. Never heard of on other 4889 which did that after the update ... guess I got lucky
I do wonder what would happen if I disconnect the battery. I'm not gonna try though. Hope this battery is gonna last for a long long time .

For more info about the different comand units, take a look at my site.


Cheers,
Frank

http://users.pandora.be/miata

 

[Simon]

Forgive me if I appear a bit dense here, but is Can Bus an abbreviation for something, obviously my spell checker seems to have heard of it, but I haven’t. So what is it please?

 

[miata]

the can bus is a data bus for nearly all the electronics in the car. The comand gets hooked up to this data bus.

Frank

 

[mapleleaf]

Hi Frank,

thanks for your help.

I now have a much clearer idea of what works with what and look forward to enjoying my new toys!

I am well impresed with the German supplier I found and if anyone is interested in buying one, please drop me a line.

:bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[fuzzer]

Thanks BlackC180 , you asked the question the rest of us were scared to ask

 

[MBenzNL]

Originally posted by miata
On a sidenote, I have a 4889 in the miata and after applying the update, the night illumination magically started working. It didn't work before (like it's supposed to be).

what update? like with the MB comand update CD? if yes, what version did you use for the update?

greetingz,

 

[miata]

Yup, I used the latest version (MY01) of the MB comand update CD.
This CD works on all comands, also 2.5.
Some very old versions of the 4889 are 'update-proof'. The screen will go black and the unit will turn off if it's the case. The firmware will not be damaged, but it means the comand cannot be updated. It's unkown at this point to which comands this applies. I've only heard of a few 4889 that have it.

Frank

PS, Did I ever say how much I liked Google?

 

[mapleleaf]

Originally posted by miata


The 4889 doesn't *need* a can bus, it'll work fine, but the night view mode won't. For that to work, you do need a can bus, althought the 4889 is a so-called non can bus unit. The signal for the night/day mode goes over the Can bus.]


Frank,

If I have the right comand for the right car ie the comand that would have been fitted had it been factory ordered as an option , how come the night view still doesnt work? I have an existing Travel pilot APS (radio/cassette CDC/Sat Nav) with the sat nav bit in the boot. Would any of the wires in the Connector have anything to do with can bus - there are some grey shielded wires

Or does the dealer need to reconfigure the ECU to tell it comand is now fitted.

 

[Maff]

Steve,

Your COMAND may need recoding to tell it it's in your E-Class. I had my ML COMAND re-coded (my ML COMAND was from an E-Class) and the night/day lights then started working.

Whats the version/ramplus numbers when you go into the diag menu? Might be able to find out from these what it's coded for.

Your dealer should be able to do the re-coding.

 

[hash]

hi steve, i have also today bought a comand from the guy in germany, he seems pretty good to me as well.

but a question for you, did you need anything else fo your ML? i.e did it go straight in using the standrd plugs or did you need a adapter harness?

any other tips for the Ml appreciated

thx

Kenny

 

[mapleleaf]

Hi Kenny

You do need an adaptor harness costs about £60 plus (if you later want phone as well) the Roof antenna otherwise a normal MB GPS discrete under dash antenna would do.

I found that I had to trim away two plastic lugs that protrude from the dash housing to allow the COmand to slide in and I didnt fit the support bracket. It may need a new inner sleve with the correct bracket holes. But it seems pretty well supported as it is.

Part number should already be psted on here somewhere , but I will dig them out anyway & post later when I get home.


cheers

Steve

 

[mapleleaf]

Hi Matt

Originally posted by Maff
Steve,


Whats the version/ramplus numbers when you go into the diag menu? Might be able to find out from these what it's coded for.

.

Do you mean Cfg & Radimpulse from the Config menu??

If so these are CFG: 21 0D 07
Radimpulse = 30

There is a shedful of numbers under different headings also.

PROCESSORS
SW version = REL_V15.13

FIS
HW version = 01.02
SW version = 43.01
Prod Date = 26.7.02

VERSION INFO
Decoder = V 5.21 release


these any good ? its all greek to me!


Steve

 

[mapleleaf]

Message for Miata

Frank

This is the post from this thread I refered to in my Pm see others after this (same Comand thread) for references to the special socket/cable needed to connect to a linux laptop.

Steve

Originally posted by Maff
CanBUS COMAND systems can be used in non-can bus cars. I have a can bus COMAND in my ML.

There is a peice of software called 'freediag' that was used to tell my w210 COMAND that it was in an ML, thus enabling the auto light feature (switches COMAND lights on when it gets dark), and disabling the 30min time off period.

However, if you can get hold of a MY2000 COMAND (without the alpha numeric keypad) these will work in a ML without reprogramming. (auto lights will not work though).

sourceforge.net

Hope this helps!

 

[MBenzNL]

Originally posted by miata
Yup, I used the latest version (MY01) of the MB comand update CD.

That is the exact CD I have as well...have to try this myself with some 48 89 units (I know some don't listen to the update CD).

Steve, About CANBUS...there is canbus in the car but I am not sure whether it is of use for the comand unit since the newer modelupdated 210 comands get canbus through the dashcluster...I will see what happens when I pinch into the 99 C220CDI CANBUS in my father's car later this week.

greetingz,

 

[mapleleaf]

Originally posted by MBenzNL

Steve, About CANBUS...there is canbus in the car but I am not sure whether it is of use for the comand unit since the newer modelupdated 210 comands get canbus through the dashcluster...I will see what happens when I pinch into the 99 C220CDI CANBUS in my father's car later this week.

greetingz,

Thanks

 

[hash]

hi guy's well we finally got our new ML 270 CDi Inspiration yestreday, and i retrofitted comand, realy easy and works well.

Thanks to steve_bcs and maff for their help and suggestions

so all i need is the tv tuner and we are happy...maybe even dvd...



and finally, how do i get the stereo out of a w203 c class to put comand in, is it as easy as the ml

does anybody have a list of parts needed.

thx

kenny